1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a conventional inkjet recording apparatus, there is known a line printer that has an inkjet head with a nozzle surface provided linearly with a plurality of nozzles. On the nozzle surface of the inkjet head, the plurality of nozzles are arrayed linearly in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction (sheet width direction).
In such an inkjet recording apparatus, the nozzle surface is sealed with a cap in order to prevent the ink from becoming increasingly viscous when unused. However, when the inkjet recording apparatus is not used for a long time, the ink becomes increasingly viscous and the viscous ink might clog the flow passages of the inkjet recording apparatus, as well as the nozzles. Thus, when the inkjet recording apparatus is used, an ejection recovery processing is executed to forcibly discharge the viscous ink. After the ink is ejected from the plurality of nozzles by this ejection recovery processing, the ink adhered to the nozzle surface is removed by a wiper blade.
As a conventional inkjet recording apparatus, there is known an apparatus that is provided with a maintenance unit having such a cap and wiper blade as described above. In this apparatus, ink is ejected from a plurality of nozzles by the ejection recovery processing, and thereafter, the edge of the wiper blade is brought into contact with a nozzle surface. A waste tray is then moved in a direction substantially parallel to the nozzle surface, whereby the ink adhered to the nozzle surface is wiped off by the wiper blade. The wiped ink moves downward along the wiper blade and is then stored in the waste tray.
However, the ink adhered to the nozzle surface in this ejection recovery processing is not only the ink that is wiped off by the wiper blade as described above and is then stored in the waste tray along the wiper blade, but also ink droplets that fall from the nozzle surface. In some cases, the wiper blade might not be able to wipe off the ink appropriately, and the ink droplets might fall from the nozzle surface after the wiper blade passes therethrough. The ink droplets falling downward from the nozzle surface can contaminate the inside of the apparatus.